Maybe you’re just old-school, or perhaps your fishing hot spot only requires a few well-placed holes to produce. Maybe you’re on a tight budget or just looking for an ultra-light, ultra-dependable option for the hard water.
As legions of anglers can attest, a hand auger makes sense for a variety of reasons, and the best of the bunch can cut through the ice as fast as a powered auger.
That’s no exaggeration, and if you’re looking for an efficient, fast hand auger for your ice fishing, we’re here to help.
Below, you’ll find reviews of some of our favorite hand augers, as well as a buying guide to help get you up to speed.
Quick glance at the best hand ice augers:
Table of Contents (clickable)
Best Hand Ice Augers Reviewed
Nils USA High-Velocity Hand Auger – Best Hand Ice Auger
Available at: Cabela’s | Fish USA
Diameter: 4 ½”, 6”, and 8”
Length: blade length of 32” in the smaller sizes, 34” for the 8” auger
Blade Type: shaver
Weight: 8-10 lbs.
Nils’ hand auger is a well-known performer on the ice, and its sharp blades and ergonomic design help it chew through the ice faster than you’d imagine.
Don’t believe us?
Check this out:
Pros:
- Light and easy to transport
- Simple and effectively unbreakable
- Usable inside your shelter
- Silent
Cons:
- Not as fast or efficient as the Nils, and probably a step behind the Lazer
StrikeMaster Lazer Auger
Avialable at: Amazon | Cabela’s | Fish USA
Diameter: 4”, 5”, 6”, 7”, and 8”
Length: adjustable; 48-57”
Blade Type: shaver
Weight: 5.5 – 8.5 lbs.
StrikeMaster designed a blade that’s swept the industry by storm, appearing on its entire range of products.
The Lazer features a relentlessly sharp and hungry set of blades, as well as a pilot point that stops wandering instantly. Until you see this auger in action, it’s hard to believe.
Adjustable for a range of heights to help save your back, the StrikeMaster is a great auger that plenty of ice anglers swear by.
Right off the bat, I’ll say that StrikeMaster Lazer and Nils fans are as die-hard as Chevy and Ford enthusiasts, and you can start a fight on the ice in no time over which one is better and why.
We’re big fans of the Lazer blade on powered augers – no question about that – and StrikeMaster gets the nod from us for sure when it comes to electric augers.
But to be fair, the offset handle design on the Nils is simply a stroke of genius, and it substantially reduces the effort you’ll need to drill. In thicker ice, this makes a massive difference, as it will if you’re cutting more than one or two holes.
Pros:
- Light and easy to transport
- Simple and effectively unbreakable
- Usable inside your shelter
- Silent
Cons:
- Not as fast or efficient as the Nils or Lazer
What We Look for When Buying a Manual Ice Auger
Why go with a hand auger?
Don’t kid yourself: even with a sharp blade, drilling dozens of holes in thick ice is going to be a real workout for all but the fittest hard-water anglers. If you routinely need to cut through feet of ice and drill dozens of holes, skip a hand auger and go for a powered model.
But for casual ice angels who might make a few trips every winter with friends and family, and who plan to drill two or three holes per person, a hand auger makes a lot of sense.
Ditto that if you’re out on early ice that’s not thicker than 6 inches or so and you’re not running dozens of holes for tip-ups.
And for anglers who need a light, ultra-portable auger that’s easy t tote on and off the ice, nothing beats a hand auger.
Beyond that, hand augers have a few advantages that are worth considering.
Fuel type
There are five categories of ice augers, and each has strengths and weaknesses depending on your needs.
Hand augers
Hand augers are a surprisingly effective option for the right situations.
Very quiet even when compared to electric models, you can drill all the holes you need without scaring nearby fish.
And because they’re emissionless, you can safely use them in an ice shelter or shanty.
Hand augers are also budget-friendly, even when you consider the most expensive options like the Nils, and of course, they’re much, much lighter than even the most svelte powered alternatives.
And their performance is surprisingly excellent. A quality hand auger like the Nils can eat a few feet of ice in no time, rivaling the speed of the best powered augers until you tire.
But keep in mind that they absolutely depend on your fitness, and larger augers diameters can be challenging in deep ice unless you’re strong and fit.
Convertible or drill-driven augers
Convertible augers attach to a high-torque drill, and with the right set-up, are amazingly effective.
Lightweight and relatively quiet, this is a good alternative to manual augers for anglers who don’t want the weight and cost of an electric auger.
The drill is typically the weak link in this system, and unless you own a cordless model with the power to push a big blade, you’ll be spending hundreds on a big DeWalt or Milwaukee that can get the job done.
head-to-head speed test of K-Drill vs. Strikemaster vs Ion
Length is typically not a problem, as hand augers are plenty long enough to reach through feet of ice.
Whether you want to be the engine accomplishing that goal is another question entirely!
While we know that there are die-hard fans of the StrikeMaster Lazer, the ingenious design of the Nils just makes cutting holes in hard water more efficient and less time-consuming.
Sharp blades and excellent ergonomics combine to create an ice-eating machine, and there’s no denying how fast the Nils cuts big holes or how much easier it is to turn in deep ice.
For the budget-minded, the Nils might be too pricey, and the Eskimo might be the better buy. No, it won’t keep up with the Nils, and yes, you’ll get tired faster, but it is remarkably inexpensive for its quality.
As always, we hope this article helped you make the best decision for your needs and budget, and if you have a question or comment, please leave a message below.
Source: usangler.com